Internal-combustion engine



r A. STEVENS. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1920.

1,372,572. Patented Mar. 22,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET x.

, Elwin/whet A. STEVENS.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I2, I920.

1,372,572, I Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEE'I 2.

awtmvtoz Show UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ALFRED STEVENS, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTEEN ONE-HUNDREDTHS resides in thenovel construction and ar valves.

TO EDMUND J. HEWIT, OF ASH'IABULA, OHIO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 22, 1921- Application filed February 12, 1920. Serial No. 355,21

To all whom it may camera I Be it known that I, ALFRED e citizen of the United States, residing at Ashtabula, in the county 'ofAshtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Cola bustion Engines; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and eract description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i a

,My invention relates to improvements in internal combustlon engines of the type provided with rotary valves, and my principal object is to provide a multiple cylinder engine of this character in which the cylinder head or heads may be removed for making repairs, without the necessity of disassem bling the entire valve mechanism.

Another objectis to provide a. separate ple and inexpensive, yet highly eflicient and urable, and a great deal more practical than internal combustion engines heretofore equipped with rotary valves.

With the foregoing in view, the invention rangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptive matter being lngs.

constructed tion. j

Fig. 2 is a vertlcal transverse sectlon cut ting throughone of thevalves and 1ts casmg. p

Fig. 3 is adisassembled sectional tive of oneof the valve cas ngs. p e

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the Fig. is a perspectiveview of one of the valve shafts;

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively longitudi nal and transversev sectionscut through one p e movably received 111 said sockets, the inner:

side and one end of one of the packing rings.

Fig. 8ris a perspective view of one tithe packlng rings.

In the drawings above briefly'described,

STEVENS, a

supplemented by the accompanying draw-h Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine in accordance with my 1nvenengine, each of which is provided with a do tachable cylinder head 2, each head being entirely disconnected from the other heads, so that any head may be removed for making repairs, .without molesting the others. In some instances a single casting may form the heads of all cylinders if desired.

' Each cylinder head 2 is provided with valve casing 3 having preferably a cylindrical bore, and each casing issplit longitudinally at 4 to providea fixed section 5 cast integrally with the cylinder 2, and a detachable outer section 6 which may be secured in place by belts or the like7 Each cylinder head is provided with a water jacket 8 which communicates with the usual water jacket ofthe engine cylinder, and said jacket 8 preferably extends around the fixed sece tion 5 ofthe valve casing as shown at 5). The section 6 of each casing 3 is preferably jacketed at 10and communication is established between this jacket and the jacket 8,

by means ofsuitable ports 11 through the contacting parts of the casing sections 5 and 6, a a

From the interior of each casing 3, intake and: exhaust ports 12 and 13 extend into the adjacent cylinder 1, and in alinement with these ports, are corresponding ports 14 and 15, formed in the removable casing section 6, which section is preferably flattened at 16 for attaching the usualintake andexhau st manifolds M. The passage of the in take and exhaust gases through the several portsis controlled by a plurality of preferably cylindrical rotary valves 17 which are provided at longitudinally spaced points with diametrical intake and exhaust ports i 18 and 19 angularly offset in the manner shown. All of thevalves are detachably connected and instead of traveling at half the speed of the engine shaft as usual, they are geared to run at onefourththe speed of perspec- 0 requlrlng lesslubrlcating 011.

the shaft, thus greatly reducing wear and The oil re quired may be supplied through suitable tubes 20. j

.I have shown the oppos te ends of the several valves 17 provided with flat sided socketsQl, and the squared ends 22 of a plurality of short shafts 23 are snugly yet re most shafts beingsupported in suitable disks 26 either integral therewith or otherwise rigidly joined thereto, and these disks are secured to the ends of the valves, 17, by cap-screws or the like 27.

By connecting the several valves by the shafts 23, it is possible to renew any dofective valve without the necessity of renewing the remaining valves, thus effecting agreat saving over the usual types of rotary valves, in which one solid body controls the intake and exhaust for all cylinders.

grooves 31, for yieldably forcing said rings .mto fluld-tight engagement with the valves.

By this arrangement,- there is no possibility whatever of any compression leaking from the cylinders. V

The operation of the valves is properly synchronized with the engine shaft and at the proper intervals said Valves operate to admit fuel into the engine cylinders and expel theexhaust gases therefrom, and since the valves in question travel at only half the speed of most rotary valves, their life is greatly lengthened and the valve casings will not be worn as rapidly as would otherwise occur. I wish it understood however that although-it is advantageous to drive the valves in the manner set forth, they might well be driven at other speeds if desired, in which instance a rearrangement offports would be necessary.- e V I attach great importance to the fact that ,each valve casing'3 1s in two sections, with 1ts inner section carried permanently by the adjacent removable cylinder head, while its outer sectlonis secured to the intake and exhaust manifolds in any preferred manner.

v.This arrangement has several advantages.

If any cylinder head must be removed, for

instance to repair a piston or a crack in the cylinder head, the outer section 6 of the casing need not be molested, but may merely .be disconnected from the innersection by removing the bolts 7. If a damaged cylinder head must be replaced, it is not essential that the outer valve casingsection 6 be also d1searded,-and ifa new cylinder is required,

I the old head and valve casing may 'be'used inconnection with the new part. These are highly important advantages. since they reduce the rotary valve engine to a much more practical form, lacking a number of disadvantages heretofore existing.

' From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and efiicient valve mechanism and that such me hanism constitutes a highly important improvement in internal combustion enginesi Among other advantages, more power is derived by delivering the force of" the explosions directly down on the piston, no lateral valve chamber being employed, as in engines of the present day types. Since probably the best results may be obtained from the details disclosed, they may well be followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may well be made.

I claim:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders having independently removable cylinder heads provided with intake and exhaust ports, a plu rality of alined valve casings at one side of said heads consisting of fixed inner sections carried by and removable with the heads and outer sections secured to the intake and exhaust manifolds, the two sections being detachably secured together, and rotary 'ulve means in said casings having intake and exhaust ports coacting with those aforesaid.

2. An internal combustion, engine comprising a plurality of cylinders having independently removable cylinder heads, a plurality of alined valve casings at one side of said heads consisting of fixed inner sections carried by the heads and outer sections secured to the intake and exhaust manifolds, the two sections being detachably secured together, independent rotary valves in said valve casings, and short shafts extending between said valves and detachably connected thereto, the valves and casings being provided with coacting intake and exhaust ports.

3. An internal combustion engine com prising a plurality of cylinders having independently removable cylinder heads, a plurality of alined valve casings at one side of said headsconsisting of fixed inner sections carried by the heads and outer sections socured to the intake and exhaust manifolds, the two sections being detachably secured together, a plurality of independent rotary valves in said valve casings, the ends of said valves having polysided sockets, short shafts between the valves having ends snugly yet removably received in aid sockets, disks integral with said shafts, and. means to detachably secure said disks to the ends 01": the valves, said valves and the valve casings having coacting intake and exhaust ports.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED STEVENS. 

